American Top 40 1979 July 28th

American Top 40 with Casey Kasem aired on radio from July 4, 1970 until August 6, 1988. This recording is a rebroadcast from internet radio.

In this countdown:

Bonnie Pointer of The Pointer Sisters has her first solo hit, "Heaven Must Have Sent You" (at number 39).

Casey notes the band Poco refers to the "Pontchartrain" in their hit, "Heart Of The Night" (at number 32). There really are no chart records being broken in this countdown, so Casey consults the AT40 (Guinness) Book of (World) Records which says the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway Bridge is the longest bridge in the world.

Later, he says one artist in the countdown has a record collection so huge that if he stacked them all on a record player, the spindle would need to be 350 feet higher than the Empire State Building (and Amazon doesn't even carry the regular kind).

The highest debut of the week is "After The Love Is Gone" by Earth, Wind & Fire (at number 32). They also have "Boogie Wonderland" at number 11.

The song "Gold" by John Stewart (with Stevie Nicks) is at number six. Casey reminds this is the first hit for the former member of the Kingston Trio, which is a band that formed in 1957 and continues to this day by replacing members as needed.

A listener asks a question with no question mark! "Dear Casey, I would like to know what song took the biggest jump to the number one spot." Casey relates the fantastic tale from April 4th, 1964, when "Can't Buy Me Love" by The Beatles leapt from number 26 all the way into the number one spot (which gave them the top five spots on the chart). Now there is a band that should have had a membership replacement program!

Casey gives his Special Report on lawyers of the rock stars. One lawyer he spoke with said he was let go from Santana for being the wrong astrological sign.

"Shine A Little Light In My Life" by the Electric Light Orchestra is in spot number eight this week. Casey tell the story of Jeff Lynne's search for the perfect ringing phone sound to open his single "Telephone Line" - a number seven hit for ELO in 1977. He dialed a local London number, then long distance to other cities in Britain, moved on to France, Belgium, the Netherlands, West Germany, Italy, and finally New York City before he was satisfied (that must be why the woman in the song broke up with him. ADD and a high phone bill).

LW#1: Hot Stuff - Donna Summer
LW#2: Ring My Bell - Anita Ward
LW#1: Hot Stuff - Donna Summer
40: Chuck E's In Love Again - Ricky Lee Jones
39: Heaven Must Have Sent You - Bonnie Pointer
38: Kiss In The Dark - Pink Lady
37: Let's Go - The Cars
36: Morning Dance - Spyro Gyra
35: I'll Never Love This Way Again - Dionne Warwick
LDD: Reminiscing - The Little River Band
34: Days Gone By - Gerry Rafferty
Archive: Whatever Gets You Through The Night - John Lennon
33: The Devil Went Down To Georgia - The Charlie Daniels Band
32: Heart Of The Night - Poco
31: After The Love Is Gone - Earth, Wind & Fire
30: Suspicion - Eddy Rabbit
29: Weekend - Wet Willie
28: Up On The Roof - James Taylor
27: Is She Really Going Out With Him - Joe Jackson
26: One Way Or Another - Blondie
25: Shadows In The Moonlight - Anne Murray
24: People Of The South Wind - Kansas
23: Sad Eyes - Robert John
ARCHIVE: I Can Help - Billy Swan
22: Lead Me On - Maxine Nightingale
21: Does Your Mother Know - ABBA
20: I'm Getting Closer - Paul McCartney & Wings
LDD: I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor
19: Do It Or Die - Atlanta Rhythm Section
18: My Sharona - The Knack
17: She Believes In Me - Kenny Rogers
16: Momma Can't Buy Me Love - Elton John
15: I Was Made For Loving You - Kiss
14: I Can't Stand It Anymore - Peter Frampton
13: Ain't No Stopping Us - McFadden & Whitehead
ARCHIVE: Kung-Fu Fighting - Carl Douglas
12: You Can't Change That - Raydio
11: Boogie Wonderland - Earth, Wind & Fire
10: Main Event - Barbara Streisand
9: When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman - Dr. Hook
8: Shine A Little Light In My Life - Electric Light Orchestra
7: I Want You To Want Me - Cheap Trick
6: Gold - John Stewart
5: Making It - David Naughton
4: Hot Stuff - Donna Summer
3: Good Times - Chic
2: Ring My Bell - Anita Ward
1: Bad Girls - Donna Summer